Mali crept away from the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly with a slim victory over Burkina Faso to progress into the last 8 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Eagles secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory, with Edmond Tapsoba putting them in front in the 3rd minute.
Both nations have never won the Africa Cup of Nations, with their highest feat in the competition being silver.
Lassine Sinayoko doubled Mali's lead in the 47th minute, smashing a left-footed attempt into the back of the net.
Ten minutes later, it looked like the fightback was on, as Bertrand Traore halved the deficit from the spot.
The stallions thought they had equalized late on, with Issoufou Dayo scoring, but his header that came from a free kick was chalked off for offside.
Eight minutes of additional time was added to the game, and Mali did their all, taming the threats of the Burkinabe.
The Eagles have made it to the quarter-final for the first time since 2013, and they clash against the host nation Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
In the last 5 games involving both nations, Mali have come out victorious in 1, while Saturday's opposition have won thrice.
They have shared the spoils on two occasions, most notably in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, with Max Gradel scoring for Ivory Coast and Bakary Sako scoring for Mali.
The clash will offer a challenging test for Eric Chelle's side, and it will be fascinating to see how they fare against a spirited Cote d'Ivoire.
Cote D'Ivoire defeated Senegal to progress to the last 8 dramatically, with the host nation coming out victorious via penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Many are tipping the Ivorians to win the crown, following what they have faced at the tournament thus far.
There are those who feel, they have battled through hard times and were even in danger of crashing out of the competition, and individuals on that side of the divide are expecting that to spur them on.
Meanwhile, Nigeria, DR Congo, Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa, who are all past winners of this competition, are still in the 2023 AFCON and they will also be looking to achieve glory.
The defending champions Senegal, were bundled out of the tournament by Ivory Coast and that indeed tells you that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been a mind-boggling competition that is difficult to predict.
Several cracking goals are still expected in the coming matches, with Africa's biggest showpiece expected to reach immense heights in the remaining round of matches.
Only one winner will emerge and Mali will be hoping that it is their turn to smile, having finished as runner-up in the 1972 edition held in Cameroon.
The Eagles secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory, with Edmond Tapsoba putting them in front in the 3rd minute.
Both nations have never won the Africa Cup of Nations, with their highest feat in the competition being silver.
Lassine Sinayoko doubled Mali's lead in the 47th minute, smashing a left-footed attempt into the back of the net.
Ten minutes later, it looked like the fightback was on, as Bertrand Traore halved the deficit from the spot.
The stallions thought they had equalized late on, with Issoufou Dayo scoring, but his header that came from a free kick was chalked off for offside.
Eight minutes of additional time was added to the game, and Mali did their all, taming the threats of the Burkinabe.
The Eagles have made it to the quarter-final for the first time since 2013, and they clash against the host nation Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
In the last 5 games involving both nations, Mali have come out victorious in 1, while Saturday's opposition have won thrice.
They have shared the spoils on two occasions, most notably in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, with Max Gradel scoring for Ivory Coast and Bakary Sako scoring for Mali.
The clash will offer a challenging test for Eric Chelle's side, and it will be fascinating to see how they fare against a spirited Cote d'Ivoire.
Cote D'Ivoire defeated Senegal to progress to the last 8 dramatically, with the host nation coming out victorious via penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Many are tipping the Ivorians to win the crown, following what they have faced at the tournament thus far.
There are those who feel, they have battled through hard times and were even in danger of crashing out of the competition, and individuals on that side of the divide are expecting that to spur them on.
Meanwhile, Nigeria, DR Congo, Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa, who are all past winners of this competition, are still in the 2023 AFCON and they will also be looking to achieve glory.
The defending champions Senegal, were bundled out of the tournament by Ivory Coast and that indeed tells you that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been a mind-boggling competition that is difficult to predict.
Several cracking goals are still expected in the coming matches, with Africa's biggest showpiece expected to reach immense heights in the remaining round of matches.
Only one winner will emerge and Mali will be hoping that it is their turn to smile, having finished as runner-up in the 1972 edition held in Cameroon.
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